1. Field of the Invention
In the evolution and development of mascara brushes, one of the major changes has been the curved brush. That is, the typical spiral-wound brush is bent or curved in the approximate curvature of the eyelid. Such a curve is applied during the manufacture of the brush and is intended to be permanent.
While this concept has found some success in the market place, it has not been without its drawbacks. It can be awkward to use since it must be aligned with the eyelid. Such awkwardness requires a learning period and a certain degree of dexterity on the part of the user. In some cases consumers are unsure of how to use the curved brush and have used it upside down. In general, the rigid curved brush is a more difficult instrument to learn to use in the confines of the eye area, particularly the corners of the eye where a straight brush works better.
Another drawback of the pre-curved brush is that it is not readily adjustable to conform to a particular user's eyelid curvature. Even when users do attempt to adjust the brush curvature, it is virtually impossible for them to achieve a smooth curve conducive to an even application of mascara. In addition, the curvature of the upper and lower eyelids is rarely the same and a brush curved to fit the upper lid will not properly fit the lower lid.
It would therefor be advantageous to offer consumers a brush that can be curved to varying degrees or maintained straight. This would permit consumers to vary the brush configuration to their own preference and solve mascara application problems such as the difference between upper and lower lashes, the corners of the eye versus large areas, and deeply curved lids as opposed to those of only slight curvature.
Adjustable mascara brushes are known in the prior art. However, the adjustment of these brushes is in the nature of the diameter of the brush which affects the actual width of the applicator surface as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,235, Kingsford and U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,393, Gueret et al. It is also known to provide adjustment of the angle of the brush or applicator relative to the applicator wand or handle as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,388, Cassai et al., and the amount of the brush exposed as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,723, Cole. In no instance has there been proposed a mascara brush having an adjustable curvature.